Welcoming Regrets
by Ryuzuki
Summary: Duo has just returned from space, and Hilde mentions that she has offered to let an old friend stay with them for a short period. Duo agrees, he and Hilde both unaware that this decision could change even what never had been.
1. Finally Home

Authors Note: This fic is a product of boredom. Nothing more, nothing less. I claim no rights to the characters with exception of a few that belong to me. The rest belong to their respected owners. All I asked is that you Review, Review, REVIEW! Your reviews are what decide if I continue on with this thing! Thank ya! ^_^  
  
  
  
Chapter One: Finally Home  
  
It had been four months since Duo had left for space. Hilde couldn't take it any longer. She had to see him, and today, her wish was to come true. He was to be returning home. Duo and Hilde were the best of friends. They told each other everything. Conveyed their deepest secrets to the other, and never held anything back. Hilde had really missed all the long talks they used to have about this and that, and the funny things they always did to cheer each other up in bad times. There was not a pair of friends in history who were as close as the two of them had become.  
  
When she heard him approaching the door outside, she hopped up from couch excitedly. He opened the door and was immediately tackled by his hysterical friend.  
  
"Hilde! It's so great to see you again!" Duo laughed as he stood still, scanning her partially forgotten face.  
  
"I can't believe your back, Duo." Hilde replied with a faint sigh as a tiny tear fell from her sapphire eye.  
  
Duo gave her quick hug to keep her from crying. "So! How have things been. Ok, I hope. You've been taking good care of yourself, haven't you, Hil?" He continued with an ever-knowing smile.  
  
"Oh, you know. The usual. Brought in a few guys." She trailed off with a lingering smirk.  
  
"Well I should hope so!" Duo joked. "I never see you associate with any guys at all. Your not..you know..weird..are you?"  
  
"What?! Duo! Of course not! Were did you ever get that idea?" she scowled, though she knew he was being jokey. She, of course, knew the real reason that she never talked with any guys besides Duo. It was exactly that.Duo. She loved him. More than just a best friend. She had felt this way for longer than she could remember, though she wouldn't dare let him know the truth. She had harbored these feelings inside her for so long, and Duo didn't even have the slightest clue.  
  
The room was silent.  
  
"Oh yeah! I've got some coffee on. Ya want some?" she broke the cold silence.  
  
"Coffee?! What do you take me for, woman! You know, I haven't had coffee in four months! Of course I want some! The whole pot!" Duo yelled with a chuckle in his tone.  
  
This attitude was what Hilde loved most. He was the greatest person she knew. Always optimistic on the outside, even though that wasn't necessarily the case in his heart. She admired his strength to withstand letting out his inner feelings. Though it wasn't good for him to repress such hard, cold feelings, she admired him for it just the same.  
  
"Well? How about that coffee?" Duo urged her with a smile as he broke her train of thought.  
  
"Oh..right. The coffee!" she shined as she ran over to the coffee maker and poured them both a cup.  
  
Then, she remembered something. "Oh yeah! I almost forgot."  
  
"Yes?" Duo answered while he chugged his scalding coffee with little sign of detrimental effect.  
  
"I was talking with my friend Aera a couple of days ago. She is a former OZ pilot as well, but she's now fighting for the colonies with the preventers. She says that she's coming to earth for a short while for some "unnamed business" and says that she needs a temporary place to stay. I told her she was welcome to stay here for as long as she needs, but that I had to consult with you first. So..what do you think?"  
  
"Well, I don't have a problem with it." Duo said carelessly as he filled his cup to the brim with more coffee.  
  
"Your sure? Because I don't want this to cause a problem."  
  
"Positive. Besides, it should be nice to have another face around for a while. It might brighten the mood a bit." He answered matter-of-factly.  
  
"Alright, then! It's settled. I'll call her up first thing tomorrow!"  
  
  
  
  
  
Alright! That was chapter one! Hope it was ok. Now remember, I need your reviews to determine if I will continue this story! I need some constructive criticism if necessary. Just let me know if it's worth continuing! So I got one word for ya..R-E-V-I-E-W!!! Peace, kids! 


	2. Arrangements

Chapter Two: Arrangements  
  
Hilde woke the next morning to the tempting smell of fluffy, perfectly cooked pancakes and Duo's infamous scrambled eggs that he always tried so hard to perfect. "There he goes again. Breakfast. But..of course I shouldn't be complaining, I love him that way." Hilde sighed to herself. If only I wasn't such a coward, I could tell him. She drifted into deep thought, only to be pulled from her dream by the squawking sound of Duo's voice.  
  
"Hilde! Get up..your so lazy!" he belted. "I cooked some tasty food for you, won't you come and eat it too!" he spontaneously sang as he rocked his head back forth and flipped the pancakes onto a plate.  
  
Hilde just chuckled to herself. "How do you do it?" she asked with a smile as she stepped into the kitchen.  
  
"Do what?" he answered, though it was clear he wasn't paying much attention. He never took his eyes off the food.  
  
"You know, how do you stay so cheerful, Duo? We're fighting in the biggest, most deadly war in all of human history and it still seems to have no effect on you whatsoever. I mean, I know you have your rough times.but, I just don't get it." She sighed as she dragged herself over to the table and plopped into the chair. Hilde, of course, knew that Duo didn't feel a bit like the person he conveyed, but she figured that playing dumb was as good a way as any to get him to open up to her concerning that very subject.  
  
"Cheerful? I really seem that happy?" Duo asked in an unnaturally high tone. "Good."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Hilde was hoping she was getting somewhere with this.  
  
"It means nothing.Nothing at all." He had finally reached a tone of all- powerful supremacy. He knew she wouldn't continue questioning him long. She was too afraid of getting him angry, and he knew this. She did this ever so often. Bringing up the fact of this 'abnormal cheerfulness' that he so happened to possess. He had grown ever so used to it that he didn't even realize when it happened. It always seemed rather coincidental that in these types of conversations, something would always interrupt, saving Duo from being forced to spill all, and this particular situation was no different.  
  
The phone.  
  
"I'll get it!" Duo leaped from the stove to the phone and swept it into his hand. "Hello?"  
  
"Hi." Came an unknown voice. "Is Hilde available?" The voice, undoubtedly a girl's voice, was full of confidence and grace. She seemed to speak like she was on top of the world. Nothing could stop her. Though this was just a mere telephone call, Duo could sense it right off.  
  
"Oh, yeah. She's here. Who's this?" he asked slyly with no clue as to whom he was speaking with.  
  
"Aera. Aera Kitaru. I'm a friend of Hi-"  
  
"Oh yeah! I know who you are. You're a friend of Hilde!" Duo chimed after rudely cutting the girl off.  
  
"Eh..That's what I was about to-" Cut off again.  
  
"No..No. No need for explanations, now!" He knew he was pissing her off, and he was having fun doing it.  
  
"I don't know who you are, but I would really like to speak with Hilde now, if that's ok?" She was becoming a bit agitated with him.  
  
"You don't know who I am? I'm Duo Maxwell! Hilde's other friend!" He was loving this too much.  
  
*sigh* "Well, hello, Duo. Now can you please let me talk to Hilde?" she pleaded.  
  
"Alright, alright. Don't get worked up!" He finally gave in and handed Hilde the phone. "It's your pal, Hil."  
  
"Evidently." She remarked sarcastically. "Hey, Aera." She polished up her tone.  
  
"Hey, Hilde!"  
  
"I hope Duo didn't turn you away from staying here. He can be so childish at times." Hilde rolled her eyes in Duo's direction. He simply rolled his back.  
  
"Nah. I don't have any other choice but to stay with you. Not that I don't want to, but it's too late to back out now, it's my last resort." Aera retorted. "So, is it ok with him, then? If I stay?"  
  
"Yep! He said he didn't mind it at all."  
  
"Great. So when is the best time for me to arrive?"  
  
"Anytime you want. There's no problems there!" Hilde smiled.  
  
"Alright, is tonight ok?"  
  
"Perfect! I'll get your room ready right now."  
  
"Thanks, Hilde. You really are a great friend." Aera replied with a sincere 'thanks'.  
  
"You know that it's no problem! So.I'll see you tonight, then?"  
  
"Tonight it is. Bye, Hilde!"  
  
"G' bye, Aera!"  
  
Hilde hung up the phone with a smile on her face. "She'll be here tonight!"  
  
"Yeah, I heard." Duo replied casually. "But, before we do anything else, can we eat?"  
  
"Oh yeah! I almost forgot about that." Hilde lightly hit herself on the head as she sat down to eat the delicious breakfast that had been so carefully prepared. 


End file.
